At the start of the nineteenth century the enforcement of law and order in Englandand Wales was the same as it had been during the Middle Ages. The main people incharge of law and order were the Justices of the Peace (J.P.s) who were chosen bythe king. These people were helped by constables and watchmen.However, as Britain’s population gradually increased so did the number of crimes thatwere committed. This meant that law and order also had to improve. ‘Bow StreetRunners’ were appointed in London and the Thames river police were set up in 1800.But whenever there was a serious problem in London the government called the armyin.

Why was the Metropolitan Police Force set up?

At the start of the nineteenth century, law and order was under constant threat. By1829, London’s population had grown to 1.5 million, yet it only had 450 constables and4,000 watchmen. London, depended on the army or the local militia, and on spies andinformers, to keep the peace, and to restore order during serious disturbances. Theneed for a preventative police force was highlighted by the Peterloo Massacre andChartist uprisings in London. The tactics for preventing and dealing with crime inLondon were often inefficient and caused more problems. Added to this situation wasthe apparent growth in homicide, robbery, theft and burglary, all of which wereincreasing as a result of the Industrial Revolution.

Metropolitan Police Force - 1829

The first major reform of law enforcement in thenineteenth century was the Metropolitan Police Act in 1829.It was the work of Robert Peel, who believed that existingmethods of maintaining law and order were inefficient. TheAct set up a Metropolitan Police Force of 3,200 men tocover an area extending 7 miles from the centre of London.There were 17 divisions, each with four inspectors and 144constables.The police officers were soon known as ‘bobbies’ or ‘peelers’after Robert Peel. They wore a uniform that included darkblue longcoats and a tall hat. They were unarmed exceptfor truncheons – this was supposed to make them as unlikethe army as possible but left them open to vicious attacksfrom criminals in London. In 1870, the tall hat was replacedby a helmet similar to that worn by the Prussian army butwithout the spike on top.